Bold and black in color with maroon hues on the rim. Layered aromas of sunbaked plum, cassis, salty dried black olives, and licorice. The palate is full-bodied and generous with black tea, dried fruit flavors and layers of warm baking spice, sturdy tannin, and a lingering dry finish. A true winter warmer, this wine will age well for up to 8-10 years under ideal storage conditions.
The grapes were handpicked, and fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks. The must underwent pump overs up to three times a day at the beginning of fermentation to assure good concentration. With the intense color and tannin of this variety, we tend to press before the end of fermentation to allow for a good balance without over extraction. The wine was matured for 24 months in specifically toasted French and American oak barrels, of which 40% were new French oak barrels. The barrel aging allows the tannins to polymerize and soften, before being racked, lightly filtered and finally bottled.
Winemaker: Anthony de Jager
Winemaker: Anthony de Jager
The Fairview winery at the foothills of the Paarl Mountains was one of the very first wineries to be founded at the Cape in 1693. Just six years later, the first wine was produced. After a turbulent history, Charles Back, grand-father of today's owner with the same name, purchased the farm in 1937 and gave it a new lease of life. Since that time, the estate has been run by the third generation of the Back family - quite successfully.
True to the motto 'Go where the terroir is' Charles Back revised the concept of Fairview in the 1980s and experimented with lesser-known grape varieties. This does not only allow a larger variety of wines and optimal conditions for the ripening time of the grapes, but also innovative wine creations which are closely linked with tradition.
The combination of innovation and tradition also mirrored in the unusual crest of the winery. The goat has become the estate's mascot long ago and has become part of Fairview's identity.
A legend goes that some errant members of Fairview's long-established goatherd once escaped from their paddock into the Fairview vineyards after Charles Back's young son Jason accidentally left the gate open. The little group happily roamed among the vineyards, showing rare discernment by selecting some of the ripest berries from the vines. Those berries have been used to make this white blend, a light, bright green, medium-bodied wine with aromas of apricots and pear and zesty acidity.
True to the motto 'Go where the terroir is' Charles Back revised the concept of Fairview in the 1980s and experimented with lesser-known grape varieties. This does not only allow a larger variety of wines and optimal conditions for the ripening time of the grapes, but also innovative wine creations which are closely linked with tradition.
The combination of innovation and tradition also mirrored in the unusual crest of the winery. The goat has become the estate's mascot long ago and has become part of Fairview's identity.
A legend goes that some errant members of Fairview's long-established goatherd once escaped from their paddock into the Fairview vineyards after Charles Back's young son Jason accidentally left the gate open. The little group happily roamed among the vineyards, showing rare discernment by selecting some of the ripest berries from the vines. Those berries have been used to make this white blend, a light, bright green, medium-bodied wine with aromas of apricots and pear and zesty acidity.
